Dynamic modeling for a morphing aircraft and dynamic characteristics analysis

The physical model of a variable-span variable-sweep morphing aircraft was simplified. Based on Kane's method, the morphing movements were assumed to be controllable known input, and the wings' movements were expressed by constraint equations. The six components of the translational velocity and the angular velocity of the morphing aircraft's body in the body coordinate frame were selected as the generalized speeds. Six degree-of-freedom dynamic model was built. Additional forces and additional moments were defined to describe the dynamic influence imposed on the morphing aircraft by the morphing movement. The simulation results show that, in the condition of steady-state flight, the additional forces and moments cased by the wings' morphing are small compared to the variations of aerodynamic forces. The aircraft's longitudinal dynamic responses during the morphing process are simulated and analyzed at different morphing speeds. Results show that the aircraft's height, velocity and pitch angle will change considerably during morphing process.